


Mutant Trade

by elliebell16



Category: X-Men (Movies)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance, X-Men New Storyline
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 14:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 11,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5094713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliebell16/pseuds/elliebell16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merry has a worrisome past, and now looking for a family. She is taken in by Prof X and the X-Men, and thinks she may have found one. However, her past is catching up to her. Will it destroy any chance of belonging somewhere?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Runaway

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Merry is my own creation. All other X-Men characters are not mine, they belong to Marvel.

Merry sat down as her breath slowed. Her pursuers would be in any minute. She glanced around the coffee shop, scanning in turn the faces of those present. Her breath returned to normal as she started formulating what action to take next. Her hair was styled in a braid, and her jacket was tied around her waist, as she had been walking in the park nearby when she spotted the men who wanted her back. She quickly brought her hair down and brushed through it with her fingers. Her jacket she untied and put on, making sure not to bring too much attention to herself. 

  
She decided to buy a coffee so as to not look out of place. Rising slowly, she walked over to the counter, with her order already in her head. 

  
“Hello, what can I get you this morning? Are you ready to order?” The cheerful barista waited for Merry to order. 

  
“Yes, I am. A white mocha regular, please.” Merry started to bounce lightly on her toes, something she did when she was nervous. 

  
“Sure, no problem. That’ll be $3.25, miss.”  
  
Merry handed over the money she had with her, then accepted the change from the barista, nodding her thanks. Before she could turn away, the door banged open and the very men she was trying to escape boldly walked in, scanning the cafe for Merry. Merry adverted her face, away from the ringleader who walked up to counter, causing the barista to unintentionally take a step back. 

  
The man’s green eyes gave no indication of his dubious intentions that were evident in his manner.His voice was rough, as he barked out his question. 

  
“Have you a woman come in named Meredith Wrangler? About yea high, hazel eyes, brown hair in a braid? 

  
“N-n-no”, The barista managed to get out. 

  
“Hmph” The man muttered to himself, as one of his men came up to him. 

  
“Sir, she’s not here. She must have doubled back somehow.” 

  
“Fine. We’ll search for her along the route. Gather the men and start scanning everywhere.” The man turned towards the door, ignoring the barista and the girl waiting for her coffee. Merry silently gave thanks to the heavens, grabbed her available coffee, and headed towards the back entrance, with a bit of hurry to her step. Right as she walked through, she heard the front door bell ring as someone walked in. 

  
The man searched for the girl he had foolishly looked over the first time he was in. Glancing toward the back of the shop, he caught a glimpse of the jacket heading around the corner. Cursing under his breath, he shot towards the back, bumping into a few patrons along the way. 

  
“Hey! Watch it! A young writer blurted as his chair was bumped toward his table. His voice died off as he caught a look at the man who rushed by. He muttered a few choice words and resumed typing. 

  
Merry raced down the alley, looking for a shop to duck into. She reached the end and momentarily debated which way to turn. She heard a shout behind her and instinctively turned left, her heart racing as fast as her feet pounding the street. _I’ve got to get out of here; how the hell am I supposed to get away from him? Somebody please help me!_ Her breath became ragged, and she gasped at the knot forming in her stomach. She lost track of how many turns she took, trying to lose the man on her trail. Glancing back at her pursuer, she found an extra burst of speed as she saw him catching up slowly. She turned forward, and-

  
“Oof!” Her head snapped back as the ground rose to meet her. Her head hit the ground hard, sparking dark spots crossing her vision as she struggled to stay alert. A man seemed to be standing protectively over her, his hands out in blasting position, but nothing seemed to be happening. She gave up on trying to stay awake and resigned herself to whatever this new arrival wanted with her. 

 


	2. Safehouse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Her head throbbed, but her body was pretty comfortable. She regained consciousness slowly, voices swirling around in her mind. As she blinked her eyes open, Merry realized the voices were coming from inside the room.  Two men were arguing, their voices laced with accents. 

 

The one speaking right next to her had a slight British accent. He spoke with authority, seeming to be in charge. 

 

“We need to let her rest now, Erik. There is no need to question her yet. All we know is that she needed help. Did you learn anything from the attacker?” 

 

“No. He did not provide any information.” Erik replied, from some distance away from Merry. 

 

“Please tell me you did not kill him. You know I don’t approve of that course of action.”   


 

“No, no. Don’t worry. He’ll just wake up with a raging headache. Truth was, he’s not worth it.” Erik reassured his companion. 

 

Merry blinked and tried to move her head, letting out a small moan. Both the men turned to her and came closer. The man beside her was in a wheelchair, smiling broadly at Merry. She raised a hand to her aching head, a grimace on her face from the pain. 

 

“Greetings, dear. How are you doing? I am sorry about your head, Erik did not mean to cause you harm.” The man in the wheelchair went on, “I am Charles Xavier, but some people call me Professor X. I own the house we’ve brought you to. This is Erik Lensherr, my dear friend and associate. May I ask, what is your name?” 

 

Merry blinked again and wondered at this turn of events. Were they working for…??? No, couldn’t be. She’d never heard or seen them before. The men were waiting patiently for her answer. 

 

“Meredith Wrangler, but my friends call me Merry. Um, nice to meet you. How…?” 

 

“-Did we know where to find you?” Professor X’s face changed momentarily, but soon went to a neutral expression. “You sent out a cry for help, when you first sighted those men. I heard, and since we were in the area, I sent Erik to go help.” 

 

“But I didn’t say anything aloud. How did you hear- are you a mind reader?” Merry panicked inside, sitting up abruptly, causing the throbbing to shoot through her head again, drawing a quick breath. Erik and Professor X edged closer in concern, but she shooed them away. “Why am I here? What was the purpose of bringing me here?” 

 

Professor X and Erik shared a glance. “We thought this would be the best course of action, as we know we can protect you here.” 

 

“Just the two of you? That would be inadequate, as they are part of an organization that has many thugs at their beck and call. You’d be outmanned and outnumbered.” Merry shivered in memory of those who wanted her back.   


 

The professor’s face softened, and Merry started feeling wisps of comfort embracing her, entering through her mind. She relaxed a bit, and a peace swept over her. 

 

“Charles and I are not the only ones here, nor are we outmanned.” Erik spoke up from behind her, and she tensed her shoulders from his closeness. “We both have something special….” here he hesitated, trying to grasp words to explain. Professor X took over. 

 

“Erik and I both carry the X gene. Our bodies contain different mutations, different powers, that we have learned to control. I am a telepath, I can control things with my mind, in laymen terms.” Here he smiled, and once again Merry felt the feeling of comfort seep into her mind. She turned towards him and asked, 

 

“Is that you?” 

 

He nodded, hands touching in the shape of a triangle, forming a bridge with his arms from both sides of his wheelchair. 

 

“And what does Erik do?” She said, turning on the counter to face the man behind her. He reached out, hands in the blasting position, but nothing coming from them. A sound caused her to whirl around, witnessing the professor’s wheelchair, with him in it, rising off the floor. 

 

“Whoa…” She breathed softly. “Levitation?” Erik smiled, slowly lowering both his hands and the professor’s wheelchair. 

 

“No,” Professor X chuckled. “He controls metal in any form. Very handy when a bullet with your name on it is hurtling towards you.” Merry gave a small smile. “Are you feeling well enough for a tour?” He asked. 

 


	3. School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erik and Professor X explain what the Xavier Institute provides and Merry meets two other teachers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer at the beginning of Chapter 1.

  The hallway they entered into was paneled with blue chrome walls, bouncing light from the ceiling light fixtures everywhere, causing the hallway to have a slight sci-fi feel. They entered into an elevator that seemed to appear out of no where, and with a slight whoosh, Merry felt the gravity pull on her stomach as they shot upwards. The inside of the elevator was wood paneling, lending a comfortable sophisticated air to the close quarters. 

  The doors pinged open, and the professor wheeled out first, followed by Erik. The air was full of noise, kids chatting, doors opening and closing, sneakers screeching across the floor. Merry hung back, overwhelmed by the chaos that seemed to be out there. Erik turned back, smiling at her. 

  “It’s alright my dear. Do not be afraid.” He spoke with a slight German accent, and briefly Merry wondered how the two men had come to meet each other.Anything to focus on something other than stepping out into the unknown. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out into the hallway. The long paneled hallway seemed to stretch before her, and she hesitated for a moment. Professor X was already wheeling down the hallway, and Erik motioned for her to follow. She hurried to walk behind the wheelchair, sticking close the two gentlemen. As they got closer to the end, the noise grew louder. They rounded the corner and almost got ran over by two young boys, one holding a frog in his hands, which were becoming the same shade of green as the frog itself. They paid no attention to the small group, heading towards the outdoors. Professor X paused, allowing Merry and Erik to catch up. He nodded towards another hallways, wider and more light flooding the passage. 

  “Those are the classrooms. Most of the classes are held on the main floor or in one of the outside buildings. The students board on the 2nd and 3rd floor, with the instructors interspersed among them. My office is down this other hallway,” He inclined his head in a different direction, towards a door with his name engraved on a gold plaque hanging on it. “But rarely am I in there during the day.” 

  “So this is a school?” Merry questioned, her eyes wandering to and fro, taking it all in.  

  “Yes, but for a specific set of kids. This is a safe place for mutants, where they can live and learn in a safe place. We help those who don’t know how to control their talents, and provide wisdom for those who are looking for advice. Many of these kids were registered by their parents, but quite a few of them are strays, people looking for a place where they’d be accepted and given a home.” The professor looked happy at the thought of providing what these kids needed. 

  “Or, for people like you, who just needed help.” Erik mentioned in his quiet low voice. 

Merry flinched as a bell rang out, and the chaos got louder, while more kids hurried by, going every which way,hurrying to get to classes before the second bell. The amount of kids diminished significantly seconds before the sound of the bell rang out again. Doors slammed as the classes got underway. For a minute the area was quiet, then a pair of adults started walking towards the trio, the girl animatedly talking while the much taller, bigger man beside her quietly listened. Merry noticed the young man, as he was definitely taller than the average male. He was built too, with a grey shirt stretching to cover his wide pectorals. The pair noticed Merry and the two gentlemen with her, and veered to intercept. The professor nodded to both of them, then turned to introduce Merry. 

  “Piotr, Kitty, this is Meredith. She’ll be staying with us for a little bit. Meredith, these are two of our instructors. Kitty Pryde, or Shadowcat, helps to teach world history, while Piotr here, teaches both Russian and art. Piotr is sometimes called Colossus.” 

  Kitty eagerly stepped forward and gave a little hug to Merry. She looked like she had just graduated from high school, with a bubbly personality to match. “So how long do you think you’ll be staying with us? Do you have a special talent? How did you learn about us? I heard you weren’t feeling well, are you feeling better now?” Before Merry could answer, her focus was then directed to Erik and the professor. “Professor X, Magneto, you both promised to help me and Rogue with planning the program for the end of year graduation today. Neither her or I have any classes to teach at the moment, would you be able to help now?” 

  The professor hesitated, while Erik answered. “Well, we were giving Merry here a tour, but I suppose if Piotr’s not busy,” here he looked over at the Russian, who gave a small nod, “and if Merry doesn’t mind,” now he looked at Merry, who produced a smile, “then yes, I suppose we can, Charles, can’t we? Now’s as good a time as any.” 

  “Let’s head to my office, I’ll see if Rogue will join us.” The professor wheeled off with a smile for Merry, then all three of them disappeared into his office. Merry looked at Piotr, who smiled reassuringly down at her. She gave another small smile, not sure what to do next. Piotr held his hand out, pointing towards the outside. 

  “Shall we?”

 


	4. Exploration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry is given a more wider tour of the grounds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer at the beginning of chapter 1.

 

  Outside the birds were chirping in the trees, the sun was shining brightly, and a light breeze was rustling through the trees. Nearby were beds of flowers, which were in full bloom, creating a wonderful landscape. Merry took a deep breath, able to relax a bit, now that she was out of the house. A movement caught her eye, and she tensed back up, even though it was just Piotr moving towards her. 

  “This is the backyard,” He smiled gently down at her, noticing how she’d tensed when he got closer. “If you’ll care to join me for a walk, I’ll show you the outbuildings.” Merry followed him around the house, staying on a path that seemed to border the house. As time passed, Piotr showed her the garage, the wood shop, the tool shed, the basketball court, the volleyball court, the ponds, and the small orchard in the back. He didn’t say much, only what needed to be said. Merry got the feeling that he was a quiet fellow, and appreciated that he didn’t try to push her into conversation. She couldn’t resist sneaking looks at him any chance she got, and blushed when he caught her looking at him. He always gave her a smile though, and seemed to take it in stride. _He’s probably used to getting looks, what with his height and everything…thank goodness._

  Piotr was curious about this woman, wondering what her back story was. She seemed to be frightened of something, and the look in the back of her eyes was haunting. He’d pretty much shown her everything, but something held him back from leading the way inside. Instead, he led the way to one of the benches off the path, underneath an old apple tree, it’s blossoms giving off a soft fragrance. Pointing to the bench, he explained. “I thought you could use a break, since I’ve led you all over the grounds. 

  Merry appreciated the thought. She _had_ been getting a little weary, and it was so beautiful under the blossoming tree. She sat down thankfully, and grinned when the seat groaned under Piotr’s weight. The sun came out from behind a cloud, and Merry raised her face towards the sunbeams, soaking up the warmth. Piotr couldn’t help but look at her as the sun lit up her face, she had to be one of the prettiest women he had met. She seemed so tiny though, compared to him. _Though, you could say that about most girls._ He grinned mentally, thinking of those on his team who were smaller than him, which was most everyone. The sun felt warm on his face as well, and he enjoyed soaking up the rays with a pretty girl by his side. They hadn’t said much, but he got the feeling that she preferred it that way, and he was just fine with that. 

  A low rumbling growl was heard, and Merry looked guiltily at her stomach. Glancing up, she caught Piotr looking at her with an amused look on his face. 

  “I’m getting a little hungry, it’s been awhile since lunch, would you care to join me for a quick snack?” He stood up as he spoke, and pointed towards the mansion. “Besides, now would be a good time to show you where the kitchen is.” He held out his hand, and Merry took it gratefully, standing up and following him to a side door located among the vines gracing the wall. She was starting to feel more secure in this place, feeling like maybe, just maybe, this might turn out to be home. 

 


	5. Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next installment of my story. First bit of action.  
> Possible trigger warning for panic attacks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Merry is my own creation. All other characters are property of Fox/Marvel.

Alarm bells woke Merry up from her fitful sleep. She sat straight up, struggling to enter reality as the rushing of feet sounded outside her door. Memories of the past were pushing to the surface in her mind, threatening to take over, but she frantically tried to push them down. Stumbling towards the door, Merry opened it to witness teenagers rushing past, towards the elevator. Merry felt an overwhelming sense of panic, and backed away from the door, trying to get away from the panic attack she knew was imminent. Crouched down against the wall, she put her head on her knees and started rocking back and forth, reason fleeing.

Before she could descend too far in the panic attack, the door swung open and a deep voice with a Russian accent announced,

"Meredith, we need to-Meredith, what's going on?" Piotr rushed over, concerned that she might be hurt. Merry flinched away from his hand, then realized who it was. Reaching up, she desperately grasped his arm.

"What's going on? Why is everyone evacuating?" Her voice shook, echoes of panic evident in her tone, but Piotr couldn't focus on that right now.

"Come on, the perimeter alarm went off, we have intruders. We're evacuating everyone but the team down to the safe room. We need to leave now, almost everyone else is down there." Piotr stood up, helping Merry to her feet, and leading her to the door. Strangely, the corridor was now empty, with echoes of receding footsteps down the stairs. Merry stayed close behind Piotr, curious and frightened at what was going on. Piotr led Merry towards the elevator, then reconsidered. "Stairs would be faster," he murmured to himself, as he preceded her down the flight of stairs. They reached the first floor landing when Piotr stopped, holding his hand up to his ear. Merry now noticed that he was wearing a leather vest, which meant his strong arms were in full view. Meredith managed a brief moment of appreciation before Piotr turned to her with a worried look on his face.

"The team has already taken out three intruders, but Jean says there's at least two more. One of them seems to be around our location. All the kids are in the safe room, along with Professor X and Magneto." Piotr's face showed his concern, and Merry couldn't help but stand a little bit closer, grasping for a feeling of safeness. "Come on, we need to get you down there." They reached the base of the stairs when the sound of a door opening down the hallway occurred. They froze, trying to pin point where the sound was coming from. Piotr stepped forward, motioning for Merry to stay where she was. He rounded the corner as Merry waited anxiously. A sudden clanking sounded mere seconds before gunshots rang out. Merry rushed around the corner, only to discover Piotr was about a foot taller and his skin had turned to metal. Merry's mouth hung open, astonished at the sight. Piotr made quick work of the intruder, knocking out the man with one blow of his metal arm. Quickly he brushed past Merry, grabbing her arm to lead her away towards the elevator to get to the lower level.

Reaching the elevator, Piotr pushed the summon button and started bouncing lightly on his toes. Merry couldn't stop from wondering if his metal skin was cold, and wether it was heavy or not. A slight sound caused them to turn around as a gunshot rang out. Merry blinked as a grey blur whooshed in front of her face. The sound of a bullet ricocheting showed where the shot ended up. Piotr stood in front of her, in a protective stance.

"Hello, Meres. Long time no see. Who's your new friend?" The gravelly voice was laced with a Boston accent. Merry's heartbeat stuttered, the familiar voice bringing chills down her spine. She peeked around Piotr and confirmed her fears. Her chaser from earlier that day stood before her, holding two guns aimed at Piotr and herself. "Did you miss me, darling?”


	6. Development

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First bit of action, first introduction to Merry's pursuer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer in Chap. 1

The man shifted to a more comfortable stance, his guns still aimed at Piotr and Merry. Merry shrunk back behind the Russian giant, eyes shut tight. 

“Who are you?” Piotr commanded. His eyes were wary, scanning the man for any more weapons he might have other than the two guns that he looked very capable of handling. Piotr knew he had a good chance of taking this guy on by himself as he was pretty much impenetrable, but he didn’t want to take the chance of Merry getting hurt. Why oh why was the elevator taking so long to arrive? Just as the thought crossed his mind, the doors announced their opening with a quiet ding. At the same instant, the man started shooting again, and Piotr was kept busy reflecting the bullets as well as he could, keeping them away from Meredith. “Meredith, get in the elevator and push the B1 button! Have the Professor send Wolverine and Jean my way! And do what he tells you! Now go!”

Merry backed into the elevator and moved to the side so that the man wouldn’t be able to aim directly at her. She frantically pushed the button for B1. Piotr started to advance towards the gunman, arms still ricocheting bullets towards the walls. The doors clanged shut and the elevator descended. Merry sat down, trying to keep from sobbing, waiting for the end of the ride. The doors dinged open, revealing the Professor with a blue furred man-beast creature. Merry bolted upwards, babbling. 

“You need to send Wolverine and Jean! Piotr needs help! Please! You need to help him, I don’t want anything to happen because of me!” Merry collapsed in front of the Professor’s wheelchair sobbing. The Professor bent forward to raise up Merry, and a flooding of peace overwhelmed her until her sobs quieted and a sense of numbness had settled in. Meanwhile the professor had his fingers against his temple and seemed to be communicating with someone. The blue furred man put his hands on Merry in order to guide her away. 

“We haven’t had a chance to introduce ourselves. My name is Hank, but I'm more known by my code name. Beast. And your name is?” Beast’s pleasant voice kept Merry in her current state of calmness. 

“Meredith. But my friends generally call me Merry. How come I haven’t seen you around already?” Merry noticed that the hallway they were walking down was a bright shade of blue lined with LED lighting. 

“I’m part of a group composed of mutants who are trained to help other mutants, and sometimes humans. We had just gotten back and were debriefing when the alarm went off. Logan, Jean and Scott are around here somewhere, helping to take care of the intruders. There are more of us, including Piotr, but a couple of them are still on missions. You might have already met the rest. When we aren’t taking a shot at making life better for mutants, we teach classes here at the academy.” They had stopped in front of a door that was in the wall. Beast pressed the green button on the intercom and a familiar voice answered. 

“Safety passcode.” Erik’s voice demanded.

“Blueberry.” Beast answered, and the door slid open. Blueberry? Merry thought. Such an interesting and weird passcode. Beast stepped aside to let Merry enter first, the door closing behind them. Erik rested his hand on her shoulder. 

“You’re safe now Merry. Go ahead and take a seat with the others.” He gave her a smile and a light squeeze. Merry took in her surroundings. All the students from earlier were sitting in groups on the floor, interspersed with teachers, most of whom she had seen earlier. Merry saw that a few of the teachers were dressed in combat outfits, including Kitty, who bounded over to Merry. 

“Don’t worry, we have it under control. We’ve encountered more intruders than you would think, and we always take care of it without injury. Well, almost without injury. Do you need a water? We have a small cooler of bottled water. Just in case some of the students or someone gets thirsty. Though we don’t give anyone too much, in case someone needs to use the facilities, if you know what I mean. So did you not hear the alarm go off? Oh that’s right, you’re new enough we probably didn’t get to the emergency part of the orientation. I didn’t think this would happen so soon. Did Piotr help you? I bet he did, he said something about making sure you were okay. He’s pretty awesome, right? His skin turns into metal! Isn’t that so cool?” The spry female never seemed to slow down, and only now paused to take a breath. Merry took the chance to ask a question. 

“Is his metal skin cold? You know, cause most metal is a temperature cooler than room temperature…I was just curious if it has the same temperature as human skin or not.” Kitty grinned, letting out a small giggle. 

“I wondered that too the first time I saw him transform. I don’t know, I’ve actually never touched his metal skin. Never had the notion to do so while in combat. But you could probably ask him.” Kitty looked like she was about to continue her monologue but she was beckoned by one of the teachers, a taller woman with white hair who was standing across the room. The talkative girl hurried over, and Merry was left on her own. She walked over to the closest wall space available and sat down, processing what had happened in such a short time. The nightmares, the flashback, and then the very thing she had been trying to get away from. How did he know where I am? I don’t even know where I am. Is someone here working with them? Did I not get all the trackers out? Oh please let Piotr be okay. I don’t want HIM to hurt anyone else. Merry fidgeted, waiting anxiously for new developments. Footsteps came in her direction, and she looked up to see Beast. He squatted down to be on face level with her to whisper his news. 

“They’ve captured the intruder. He seems to be the leader of the group. Logan and Piotr have put him the in cell we have on site. I thought you might be interested to know. Oh, and Piotr’s just fine. No bullets were able to pierce his skin.” This last bit was conveyed with a small twinkle in his eyes, as Beast noted her concerned look relaxed. “However, the prisoner seems to know who you are, and must have been sent to come get you. Would you be able to explain?”


	7. Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merry's past is revealed~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Rape/NonCon, Violence  
> Disclaimer in first chapter  
> this Chapter is rated M to be safe.

Merry fidgeted in the comfortable chair. The crackling of the fire was soothing, as was the slight warmth emanating from the fireplace. Professor X sat across from her, his eyes closed, waiting for her to speak. The students and most of the teachers were back in bed, all was quiet in the upper levels of the mansion. The team of mutants were lounging in the living area, waiting for news on the intruder.  


Merry gathered her courage and straightened up, ready to explain what she could. Professor X opened his eyes, sensing that she was ready for the questions he had for her.  


“Now Merry, there might be an easier way of my gathering of information. I have explained to you already of some of my mental powers, but there’s a bit more. Through practice of my gift, I have become skilled at entering one’s mind. I explore their memories, learning what they know. I don’t enter someone’s mind without permission and I only stick to what they want me to know. We can use this option, or we can stick to conversing out loud. Whatever you are more comfortable with dear.” The professor’s voice was steady and calm. It eased Merry’s mind about sharing information about her past.  


“I think I’d like to try you entering my mind. It…it might be easier if…if I don’t have to talk about it…out loud.” Merry’s voice got quieter as she looked down at her hands. The professor smiled gently and rolled his wheelchair closer. “I-I am ready to begin.” Merry’s voice struggled to stay calm at the thought of revisiting bad memories.  
“All you need to do is let me go through your memories. Not all of them, just the ones relevant to explaining what’s going on. Try to relax.” The professor’s voice was matter of fact, revealing the ease at which he performed such tasks. He placed his hands on each side of Merry’s head and closed his eyes. Merry immediately relinquished control of her mind to the kindly professor.  


Professor X searched through her memories. The earliest was a recollection at the age of two. She was playing ball with her father on a sunny afternoon. Rolling it towards her father, laughing when it rolled across the grassy lawn back to her. The next one to reach the surface was from her seventh birthday. She was blowing out the candles, wax spluttering on her mother’s cheek, opening presents. He could sense her excitement at the thought of a new book. The next memory was clouded with sadness. Her father was missing, disappeared from a business trip overseas. Her mother sank down in the hallway, crying over the notice. More memories, each one with her mother becoming more and more depressed, losing an interest in life. They culminated with standing at her mother’s graveside. Tears started to crawl down Merry’s cheeks, but she let the professor keep going.  


He saw her first memory of the orphanage, full of unwanted children with no parents. Life seemed okay, until the raid that dark night. It was led by none other than the intruder, a man named Jeffery Hacke. Merry and the other children were scanned and separated into groups. Merry’s group was taken away, shuffled into the back of army issued trucks, ferreted away to an unknown location. A big house on the outskirt of a city. As they entered through the back entrance, each child was fitted with an electronic collar by Hacke. They were then escorted to the basement, separated into different suites according to gender. Years passed, with the disappearance and additions of children, growing up in captivity. Merry kept to the corners of the room, doing nothing to attract attention. Over the years she built up a friendship with a tall blonde named Emma. Some of the girls, including Emma, were gone for only a period of time, silent with humiliation when they returned. Whispers of what went on upstairs would pass through the group of girls. The day came when Merry was summoned upstairs. The professor guessed what happened during those trips and skipped over them, not wanting Merry to relive that portion of her life. He kept going, searching for why the man named Jeffery Hacke was now searching for Merry.  


One day Emma sat down next to Merry after coming back from the upstairs. Silently Emma showed Merry a screwdriver she had hidden in her skirt pocket. Emma then waited until the guard was in the other room, then used the screwdriver to unlock her collar. Pulling Merry to her bunk, Emma then explained about an escape tunnel she had been working on. She had finally finished this morning. They took care of Merry’s collar, and wriggled their way into the tunnel. The Professor could feel her breathless with hope and adrenaline. Emerging after a long while on the other side of the fence, they took off towards freedom. Finding help from nice strangers, each of the girls found their own way of life. But yet, they had to keep living on the run from Hacke and his helpers. Merry was starting to finally feel truly free, until that fateful morning. She spotted a man she hoped never to see again during her morning run in the park.  
Professor X released Merry, rolling his wheelchair back as he did, leaving Merry with a burst of peace. The tears that had rolled down her cheeks dried, leaving Merry feeling emotionally tired. She had to make sure the Professor knew everything though.  


“I’m not sure you were able to figure it out, but the main reason they acquired us was because their business was in selling mutants. They didn't care what happened to us afterwards. They gathered mutants and then auctioned us to the highest bidder. Those collars controlled both us and our gifts. Some of us they couldn’t figure out what our gifts were and generally left us alone. I uh, I don’t know what my gift is. And I’ve never wanted to find out really. Not knowing meant safety, and it’s hard to shake off that feeling.”  


The professor nodded. He motioned that she could leave, adding, “Thank you for allowing me to find the answers. I will not need your help for now. I think now would be a good time to rest. I’ll have Piotr escort you to your room, if that will help you feel safe. You need not worry about Jeffery Hacke, he's located in one of our cells in the basement. There is not a way he can escape under the watchful eyes of Logan and Jean. For now I need to figure out the best way to utilize the information you have given me.” He smiled once more, and Merry felt comfortable about having shared her past with him. She left his office, and immediately saw Piotr and Kitty in front of her.  


“Piotr!” She kept herself from rushing over, instead nervously standing about a foot away. “Th-thank you for protecting me. I um, I appreciate it.” She tucked a wisp of hair around her ear, trying hard not to focus too much on how lame she sounded.  


“Без проблем.” Piotr grinned, then, in the same instant, added, “I mean, no problem. Sorry, sometimes I lapse into my native tongue.”  


“Especially when he’s tired, poor guy.” Kitty giggled. Piotr offered his arm to Meredith.  


“Shall we return you to your room?” Piotr said. Merry took the proffered arm and walked with Piotr up all three flights to her room. He kept up a light conversation, telling her of some of the antics of the students, who did not want to go back to bed after the action. It worked to keep her mind off of the seriousness of what had happened. Soon he stopped in front of her door.  


“Sweet dreams and goodnight.” He smiled once more. Opening her door for her, he then with a touch of his fingers to his forehead gave a salute. After she entered, he closed the door and left her in her room by herself. Crawling into her bed, weary and ready for sleep, she realized that even with the thought of Hacke many levels below her, she felt safe for the first time in awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Sorry it's been awhile.


	8. Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peek at an idyllic morning in the X-Men Mansion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought adding this more happier chapter would be nice after posting the last chapter. This is one of my more shorter ones, but I wanted to get it out there!  
> Disclaimer in first chapter

The sun streamed into the room, spreading warmth throughout the area, causing Merry to wake up. She sat up, remembering the events of last night. She got up and got dressed, picking out a green t-shirt and dark blue jeans from the wardrobe in her room. Wondering who had picked out the clothes, she examined herself in the mirror. The jeans fit right around the hips, but were a little long. Giving herself a little smile, she slipped on a pair of converse and left her room. Back in the hallway, Merry mentally visited last night in memory, both Piotr rescuing her and him escorting her back to her room. The latter made her smile again, a feeling yet unidentified coursing through her soul.  


Upon reaching the first floor, she tried to remember where the kitchen was located. She turned down the side hallway, and found she was on the right path, soon reaching the kitchen, she could hear voices coming from within. Kitty’s voice rose above the rest, piping up loud and clear. The smell of bacon wafted from within, and Merry entered the room trying to inhale the sizzling goodness. Kitty was the first to notice her and beckoned her over.  


“Merry! Yay, you’re up! Come and join us! There’s room right here next to me, between me and Storm! Do you like bacon? Of course you do, everyone likes bacon. It so yummy! So bad for me, but I can’t resist. Do you like pancakes? Logan’s got a plate going!” The girl gestured over to the stove. Logan, with half of a cigar in his mouth, was presiding, spatula in hand. He grunted and raised the spatula in a half-salute and then resumed flipping pancakes. Merry hesitated. She walked towards the seat that Kitty mentioned. It was situated between Kitty and Storm at the regular sized dining oak table. The white haired teacher from last night had her hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee. She seemed to be still sleep ridden and in no mood to speak. Merry sat down and grabbed a pancake from the plate close by. Kitty passed her another plate heaped with bacon, and Merry served herself a couple. Across the table sat a blonde fellow with hazel eyes. He poured a glass full of orange juice and offered it to Merry.  


“My name’s Bobby. Welcome to Xavier Institute. Would you like some orange juice? Freshly squeezed and always chilled.” He grinned, and as Merry took the glass, sent a gust of air around the glass. It instantly chilled both the glass and the juice. Merry hesitated a second before trying a sip. She found to her pleasure that the liquid was just the right temperature. She gave him a smile of thanks. Kitty was chatting with anyone would listen, pausing only to chew her food. Around the table were others, including a guy with red lensed sunglasses. He was eating a bowl of cereal, silent and pensive. Merry sensed that he might be a loner, and wondered if his gift had something to do with his glasses. Erik and the Professor were nowhere to be seen, and Merry was curious if they had already eaten. Merry started to eat her breakfast, thankful for scrumptious food.  


After a few moments had passed, Logan finished up another plate stacked high with pancakes and put it in the oven, keeping them warm till the others came through. He sat down at the other end of the table, the furthest seat from the man eating his bowl of cereal. “Something wrong with my cooking, Bub?” Directing his words at the man opposite, Logan removed the cigar from his mouth and threw it into a nearby trashcan. Cyclops grunted, but made no other reply. Logan piled high his plate, digging in with gusto. At this moment, Piotr entered.  


“Rogue and Pyro just contacted us from their current location. They’re making progress slowly but surely. They’ll let us know if they need any more help. What’s for breakfast?” He asked, addressing his fellow teachers/ teammates. He sat down and grabbed a plateful of food, the amount rivaling Logan’s plate. Merry couldn’t help looking around and feeling like she was surrounded by family again. The sun was streaming in on the quaint scene, and she felt happy. 

 

****

 

Down in the basement, Hacke sat patiently, biding his time and waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, let me know what you think! Comments are welcomed, as well as Kudos!


	9. Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast, camaraderie, and danger room!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aside from Merry and the bad guys, I don't own any of these characters. :) Unfortunately.

Breakfast was wrapping up in the kitchen, and Merry had become more comfortable. She was able to relax after the third round of seconds between Piotr and Logan. Jokes were cracked, and teasing was rampant. Merry found herself laughing more than once, especially when Storm got in on the teasing between Cyclops and Logan. She also learned more about both the personal and code names of the team. Storm’s personal name was Ororo and Cyclops’s was Scott. Logan’s code name was Wolverine, Kitty’s was Shadowcat, Piotr was Colossus, Erik’s was Magneto and Bobby was Iceman.

“And Pyro’s real name is John, and Rogue’s is Marie.” Kitty was more than happy to divulge the information. Her talkative personality was taking all questions in stride. "There’s others on the team as well, but you might not meet them for awhile.”

As the table started to empty, Logan pointed at Kitty. “Hey Bub, it’s your turn for dishes. Pick someone else to help clean up. I’m outta here. See you in the training room at 9:30 sharp.”

Kitty looked at Piotr. “Well Colossal? Do you want to help me out? Bet you we could get them done in no time!”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I promised some of the boys that I would help them practice baseball before school. In fact, they should be finishing up their breakfast now. Soooo, I should get going…have fun with the dishes though. Give my love to Dove.” With these words he quickly left the kitchen. Merry turned to Kitty.

“I can help.” She offered quietly. Kitty perked up again.

“Okay! Here, I’ll wash the dishes, you dry. While I get the sink ready, you wanna clear off the table?” Not waiting for an answer, she turned the water on and swirled some Dove soap on the bottom of the right side of the sink. Each time Merry put another load of dishes on the counter, the sink was more full of fluffy bubbles. Kitty started putting dishes in the soapy water and washing. Merry found dish towels in a drawer next to the sink and grabbed one. She and Kitty attacked the dishes with gusto. Merry was fast enough that there was hardly any dishes in the rinse side of the sink. Noise from outside the window over the sink caused the girls to look outside. Piotr was catching pitches from three boys that were spread out around him, easily catching and throwing back in turn. His throws always made their mark, and Merry couldn’t help but smile.

“Does the school have a baseball team?” She asked, not able to take her eyes off of Piotr and the boys.

“No, not really, but Piotr and Bobby like to put together baseball games every once in awhile. I think they’re planning one in the next two weeks. If you let Piotr know, I’m sure he’ll be able to put you somewhere…They’re a lot of fun, even to just watch. Jubilee and I bring out the popcorn machine and hand out popcorn for the spectators, and Artie leads up the cheering section.” Kitty started rambling again, and Merry had to do her best to stay focused on what the girl was chatting about.

Merry enjoyed watching Piotr interact with the boys, instructing on what to and not to do. The boys treated him as an older brother, and Merry wished she had not been an only child.

The girls wrapped up the dishes, Kitty helping Merry put them away. In the process she showed a more detailed tour of where everything went in the kitchen. Kitty wiped down the table while Merry tackled the counters. Kitty blew away the random hairs in her face, and grinned.

“Well, we finished cleaning up the kitchen. That means we won’t have to for awhile.” Glancing up at the clock, she twisted her mouth up in a thinking pose. “Looks like I’ll have juust enough time to change into my uniform and get down to the danger room. You coming?”

“Danger room? But that sounds…dangerous. What do you do in there?” Merry wasn’t sure she liked the sound of it.

“Aw, that’s just what we call our training room. Professor and Logan never give us more than we handle. Trust me. ‘Sides, I never get hurt. I always just phase through things.” Kitty boasted. As she left the room she threw back over her shoulder, “The Danger Room console is the fourth door on the right from the elevator on level B1. Just knock and then Forge will let you in. He’s the guy who runs most of the electrical stuff around here. See you in a few minutes!”

Merry debated staying topside and wandering outside, but her curiosity got the better of her. She walked out to the elevator, pushed the button and waited. While waiting, Bobby, the young man from earlier, came up beside her.

“Did you enjoy breakfast?” He asked, his grin infectious. Merry grinned back.

“Yes I did, thank you. I especially like the orange juice chilled to perfection. That was a nice touch.” The elevator dinged open and Bobby stepped inside. He turned around and gave Merry another smile. “You coming? Cause this elevator isn’t going to wait much longer.”

Merry smiled back and joined him. Bobby pushed the button for B2.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“B1. For the console room.” Merry replied hesitantly.

“Ah. Going to see us get whipped?” Bobby asked with puppy dog eyes.

Merry didn’t answer as the elevator door had just slid open. She stepped out and waved at the blonde as the doors slid shut. He grinned one last time before he was gone. Merry turned and found the correct door. Knocking, she heard a “Come in!” and opened the door, which surprisingly was just a regular knob. Looking around, she discovered that the far wall was wall to wall windows, looking out into a big gym like area. She heard a grunt that brought her attention to a pair of legs sticking out from underneath the console.

“Hello? Um, are you Forge?” Merry asked tentatively.

The legs scrambled to get out from underneath, and a curse word slipped from the lips of a dark haired mechanic as he popped up in front of Merry. He gave a low whistle as he saw who was talking.

“Here to watch robots beat up mutants?” He asked.

“What? I hope not.” Merry was shocked at the way he phrased his sentence.

“Well no matter. I’ve done what I could, but the machines might start doing what they think is right half way through this exercise. We’ll just see what happens.” He whistled a tune as he bent over a microphone on the console and pushed a button. “You guys ready? I’ll give you 5 minutes for any late comers. Get ready, I’ll start without any other warning.” He chuckled to himself and seemed to remember he had company. “You can stand over there to watch.” He motioned to a spot right up near the window. Merry crept closer and saw down on the floor below several people. Piotr stood out, as well as Logan and Storm. A few were doing stretches of various sorts, but not all. Cyclops was down there as well. Kitty burst through the door, apologizing profusely to anyone who would listen. Logan grunted in response.

Forge pushed another button and the lights in the gym area started flashing. Panels slid open and various robotic machines made their entrance. Logan made fists then, to Merry’s surprise, long steel blades protruded from his knuckles. Storm rose slowly from the floor to about mid air. Piotr grew taller as his skin turned into a cold blue metal. Forge pushed another button, and at that instant all hell seemed to break loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think! Sorry it took so long. Life got busy quick.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next installment of my story. disclaimer in first chapter.

Merry watched in fascination as the team fought the robotic machines. It did not look easy, and several times Merry thought that they might actually get hurt. Her gasps of shock or worry made the mechanic at the control board roll his eyes. He considered them to be overreactions. Unknowingly to those down below, he decided to give Merry something real to worry about. Pushing an obscure button, he upped the program a level.  
Down in the room, Piotr smushed a robotic gun to a crumpled piece of metal and wires. Around him the others were having similar victories over the electronic enemies. Suddenly there was silence as the machines paused in their efforts to slay the team. Whirring and clicking echoed through the room as Logan caught Piotr’s eye. They both recognized what was happening at the same time. Logan strode angrily towards the control booth.  
“Foorrge!!!” He growled. Forge gave a mock salute and sat back in his swivel chair with a grin on his face. Logan whirled around as the machines began to show themselves. Finding Piotr he shouted, “Stay near Kitty and Bobby!” He ran over to be near Storm, as Jean, Scott and Beast grouped together.  
Bobby threw a slew of ice towards a few weaponized mechanical arms that were lowering themselves towards the young trio. Kitty turned to Piotr.  
“Give me a boost?” She beckoned towards a smaller robotic arm dangling menacingly. Piotr nodded and held out his hands in a interlocked step. Kitty stepped on and pushed off of the boost given, grabbing the arm and pushing off the wall, breaking the wires. She dislocated the arm, then used her momentum to phase the arm through another robot, leaving the arm behind, shorting out the robot. She landed on her feet but fell forward and caught herself with her hands. She glanced back at Bobby, who was still shooting out ice towards the robotic arms and such.  
“See? I’m like a cat!” She gleefully announced. “I landed on all fours!” Bobby grinned but it turned to a worried look in the next instant.  
“Look out!” He shot ice towards the weapon aimed at Kitty. The ice enclosed the weapon and prevented any more movement. Kitty blew a quick kiss towards Bobby and moved on to her next target. Across the way, Cyclops was slicing through wires and metal with his laser vision and steady aim. In another corner, Storm was causing small rain storms to short out other machines.  
Up in the control room, Merry was almost pressed up against the glass with anxiety. Those down in the room had seemed to be in the deep end at first, but now were taking down their enemies. Forge seemed to be bored now, swiveling around in his chair, only glancing at the control board now and then. The team took out the remaining electronics in no time at all. Forge pushed the intercom button and leaned forward towards the microphone.  
“Nice job, very nice.” He drawled in a bored tone. “Now I suppose I get to clean up all this mess. Hey, guys, if a student gets sent to detention, send ‘em to me. I’ve got a few chores I could put them on.” He sat back and smiled to himself as Logan cussed him out below.  
Logan looked around him at the rest of the team. Most of them looked tired but other than that no one was actually hurt. Glancing back up at the control room he spied Merry looking down. Realization flashed through his mind.  
“Stupid show-off.” He muttered under his breath. “Alright, nice job, let’s get outta here.” He announced. “Hey, Piotr,” he said, catching the Russian by his arm as he walked by. “Looks like you have a friend waiting.” He nodded up towards the control booth. Piotr followed his glance and made eye contact with Merry, who gave a little wave. Piotr’s face broke out into a smile as he waved back. He motioned for her to stay there, left the room and lost no time making his way up to where she was.  
“He-ey…” He uttered, all of a sudden feeling silly for thinking she was there just to see him. Many thoughts went through his mind, but he mentally shook them away. “Hey there. Shall we go back upstairs? Maybe, if you wanted to, you could come to the class that I teach this afternoon? I mean, if you don’t have something. And if you wanted to. If you didn’t want to, I’m sure we could find someone to hang out with, or uh, something to do.” The Russian, known to be stoic, found himself close to babbling. He sounded more like Kitty than his normal self. Merry smiled gently, putting him at ease.  
“That sounds nice. I’d love to come. Would the kids mind? Or the Professor?” Merry asked with hesitation.  
“No, they won’t mind. As long as you’re not disruptive. You’re not planning on being disruptive, are you?” His smile was slightly crooked, one side spreading up higher than the other.  
Under the control booth yet again, Forge rolled his eyes at the exchange of Merry and Piotr. “Would you two just leave so I can get my job done? I can’t think over the sound of you two yappin’.” Piotr opened the door of the room and, after Merry walked through, closed the door behind him. As they walked back towards the hallway, they saw the Professor pressing the code into a door up ahead. As they got closer, they saw a glimpse of Hacke behind a force field with the Professor and Beast in front of him. The door closed, and Merry’s smile immediately left her face. Piotr put his arm around her, giving her a quick squeeze before leading her to the elevator. The doors dinged opened right away, and he rushed to push the correct level. As the doors closed, Merry just stared into space.


	11. Chapter 11

Hacke paced from one side to the other of his cell to the other. His cell had only the necessities, a bed, a sink, and a toilet behind a wall for privacy. A force field kept him from leaving his cell, yet allowed him to see out and others to see in.

Professor X watched from his wheelchair in silence. Hacke had noticed that he had seen him enter with a slight pause in his pacing, but there was no other recognition. Professor cleared his throat, causing Hacke to stop and turn around. Putting his hands in his pockets, Hacke gave off a casual carefree vibe. The professor opened his mouth to speak, but Hacke beat him to it.

“I see you’ve finally come down to talk to me. I assume that you’ve already talked to Meres, and that’s she’s most likely told you everything. I’m sure you’ve already tried to enter my mind, but I’m going to stop you there. I’ve been trained to put up mental blocks, and so far no telepath has been able to break through them. So let me put your cards on the table Charles. May I call you Charles? Good. I’m not talking until Merry comes down here and I get to talk to her face to face. You can’t break through my blocks, so you won’t be able to pick my brain. You’re not going to be able to get anything from me until I see Merry.” He leaned back with a satisfied look and a smug grin on his face. His arms were folded in a defiant stance, confidence radiating from him in waves.

Professor X thought a second, then gave a small nod. “Very well. If Merry feels safe enough to come down, then I will let you talk to her. If not, well then, my apologies, but we will be at a stand still. But one thing I do hope you’ll grant me is the knowledge of how you found out Merry was here in the first place. And of course, how you got in through our defenses would be excellent information. We'll want to be able to adhere our system to prevent a re-occurrence.” He leaned back and brought his fingers together in a tent formation.

Hacke pursed his lips. “Well. Maybe if the doctor taken a good enough look at Merry, you’d have figured that out by now. Though to be honest, it wouldn’t have shown up until three days ago, which by the way, coincides with her 21st birthday. I wonder if she remembered the date. I’m sure the years we spent together caused time to fly by in her mind. I am curious though, have you been able to find out what her ‘gift’ is?”, He laughed bitterly. “Well, looks like you won that round of wits. I’ll admit, sometimes my pride gets the better of me. But in all seriousness,” He scoffed, “you’re not going to get anything else out of me.” Hacke turned and walked to the bed, laying down with his arms under his head. His gaze towards the ceiling, he started whistling. Professor X swung his chair around and placed his hand on the electronic pad to open the door. Wheeling out of the room, the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy sounded out behind him.

X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X

Up in his office, Merry sat in silence in one of the plush chairs across from the desk at which the professor sat. Right behind her in a hovering protective stance was Piotr, and to her left also seated in a plush chair was Storm. Logan was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his teeth chomped down on a lit cigar. Eric was leaning against the desk on the other side of Merry. The professor had brought them all up to date on what Hacke had said. Merry had been silent since passing by where Hacke was being kept. Now she looked up and gave the professor a little smile.

“So, until he sees me, he-he won’t give you any more information?” She asked with a slight quiver in her voice. Piotr laid his hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze.

“Correct, my dear.” Professor X’s face was grave. “But I won’t let you go down there unless you feel absolutely safe, and definitely not without an escort.”

“I’ll go with her.” Piotr spoke up right away, causing a “hrrmph” to escape from Logan. “If she does go down there, I’ll go with her.”

Merry looked at the professor. “I feel safe enough to go with Piotr down to see Hacke. If that’s the only way he’ll talk, and I can help in any way, I believe I should do so.” Piotr gave her shoulder another light squeeze as the professor’s grave expression lifted just a second before falling back into a worried frown.

“Alright then, you and Piotr go down and try to get Hacke to talk. We’ll wait up here. Return to us when you’ve convinced him to talk, and we’ll proceed from there. Hopefully he’ll open up once he’s seen you.” After relaying these instructions, the professor leaned back. “And Piotr,” he called after them as they got up and left the room, “keep her safe. Take her out of that room if he makes any kind of move for her. I have the feeling he might try something.”


	12. Chapter 12

The elevator ride down to the lower level was quiet. Piotr and Merry stood side by side, Merry leaning on Piotr without thought. Many thoughts were flying through his mind. It was hard to hold on to one with Merry distracting him. His heart was full for this special “little” one.

The silence was starting to creep up on Merry, but her mind was failing to come up with something to say. She would think of half of a sentence before giving up and moving on to the next one. By the time she thought of a good enough sentence to use, the elevator doors had opened. Piotr stood expectantly waiting for her to step out.

The short walk to the cell room was also silent. Apprehension was starting to creep up on Merry’s nervous mind. Piotr scanned his hand and the door opened. Taking Merry’s hand, he led her into the same room as Hacke. The moment she stepped in the door, Hacke walked straight up to his side of the force field. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he pointedly ran his gaze up and down Merry’s figure, a leery grin on his face.

“And how are you on this beautiful day, Meres?” his voice a timbre of normal, acting as though they were taking a casual stroll through the park. “You look lovely. A nice glow about you. They must be better at servicing their guests than I thought.” A low forced chuckle conveyed a deeper meaning implied behind the words. A slight involuntary shudder coursed through Merry’s body, and Hacke’s grin deepened. Piotr stepped up right behind Merry, offering wordless support. Hacke noticed and his grin faltered for a half second but he plastered it back on without hesitation. He focused on Merry’s body instead, lingering on her bust.

“Why lookee there. Somebody’s gone up a few sizes since the last time I’ve seen you.” Merry reached behind her and grasped Piotr’s hand for comfort. Hacke continued, ignoring the hand connection. “What are you now, a D? Nah, you can’t be more than a C. Why don’t you just take that shirt off, and I’ll tell you for sure. Course, I could never tell you girls apart. After awhile you kind of run together.”

At this Merry couldn’t take anymore. Pushing an angry Piotr back, she strode up towards the force field, mouth open, ready to rail against Hacke. At the same time Hacke pressed something in his pocket, and the force field went down. Grabbing Merry’s shoulder, he spun her around and wrapped his arm around her neck, forcing her in a type of head lock. Piotr rushed forward, but Hacke stopped him.

“Wouldn’t want your girlfriend to experience a snapped neck, would you? Not a pleasant thing to go through. I would know, I’ve given a few of those to others. Now, down to business. If you don’t want her to get hurt, place your hand on that reader and let us out of here. And don’t try anything stupid. I can snap her neck no problem before I die from a bullet or whatever you think will work. Trust me, this little beauty,” here he paused to give Merry’s cheek a loud kiss, “Mmm, this little beauty is going to die quicker than you can kill me. And that’s a promise.” Merry tried in vain to struggle, but Hacke’s grip tightened.

Piotr hesitated for a moment but did as Hacke said, opening the door. His eyes were filled with anger, frustration, and pain. He stepped aside to let Hacke through with Merry but Hacke waved him forward.

“Not so fast. I need you to take me out of here. And I don’t want you alerting anyone before I plan on it. So, take me to your garage. And without interacting with anyone else.” Hacke struck a casual pose. Or at least as casual as one could get while having someone in a headlock. “Come on now. I know you must have a back way out of here. Lead us out of here.”


	13. Chapter 13

The elevator ride down to the lower level was quiet. Piotr and Merry stood side by side, Merry leaning on Piotr without thought. Many thoughts were flying through his mind. It was hard to hold on to one with Merry distracting him. His heart was full for this special “little” one.

The silence was starting to creep up on Merry, but her mind was failing to come up with something to say. She would think of half of a sentence before giving up and moving on to the next one. By the time she thought of a good enough sentence to use, the elevator doors had opened. Piotr stood expectantly waiting for her to step out.

The short walk to the cell room was also silent. Apprehension was starting to creep up on Merry’s nervous mind. Piotr scanned his hand and the door opened. Taking Merry’s hand, he led her into the same room as Hacke. The moment she stepped in the door, Hacke walked straight up to his side of the force field. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he pointedly ran his gaze up and down Merry’s figure, a leery grin on his face.

“And how are you on this beautiful day, Meres?” his voice a timbre of normal, acting as though they were taking a casual stroll through the park. “You look lovely. A nice glow about you. They must be better at servicing their guests than I thought.” A low forced chuckle conveyed a deeper meaning implied behind the words. A slight involuntary shudder coursed through Merry’s body, and Hacke’s grin deepened. Piotr stepped up right behind Merry, offering wordless support. Hacke noticed and his grin faltered for a half second but he plastered it back on without hesitation. He focused on Merry’s body instead, lingering on her bust.

“Why lookee there. Somebody’s gone up a few sizes since the last time I’ve seen you.” Merry reached behind her and grasped Piotr’s hand for comfort. Hacke continued, ignoring the hand connection. “What are you now, a D? Nah, you can’t be more than a C. Why don’t you just take that shirt off, and I’ll tell you for sure. Course, I could never tell you girls apart. After awhile you kind of run together.”

At this Merry couldn’t take anymore. Pushing an angry Piotr back, she strode up towards the force field, mouth open, ready to rail against Hacke. At the same time Hacke pressed something in his pocket, and the force field went down. Grabbing Merry’s shoulder, he spun her around and wrapped his arm around her neck, forcing her in a type of head lock. Piotr rushed forward, but Hacke stopped him.

“Wouldn’t want your girlfriend to experience a snapped neck, would you? Not a pleasant thing to go through. I would know, I’ve given a few of those to others. Now, down to business. If you don’t want her to get hurt, place your hand on that reader and let us out of here. And don’t try anything stupid. I can snap her neck no problem before I die from a bullet or whatever you think will work. Trust me, this little beauty,” here he paused to give Merry’s cheek a loud kiss, “Mmm, this little beauty is going to die quicker than you can kill me. And that’s a promise.” Merry tried in vain to struggle, but Hacke’s grip tightened.

Piotr hesitated for a moment but did as Hacke said, opening the door. His eyes were filled with anger, frustration, and pain. He stepped aside to let Hacke through with Merry but Hacke waved him forward.

“Not so fast. I need you to take me out of here. And I don’t want you alerting anyone before I plan on it. So, take me to your garage. And without interacting with anyone else.” Hacke struck a casual pose. Or at least as casual as one could get while having someone in a headlock. “Come on now. I know you must have a back way out of here. Lead us out of here.”


End file.
